Novak Djokovic exited the 2025 Indian Wells Open already in the second round, suffering his third consecutive loss.
Djokovic is not known for frequently losing matches, especially not losing two in a row. What is even more uncommon is the Serbian legend losing three matches consecutively—something he hasn’t experienced since 2018.
Back then, he famously fell in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Hyeon Chung, followed by first-round exits at both the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open.
This year, the 24-time Grand Slam champion entered the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament on a two-match losing streak, having lost to Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open (via retirement) and Matteo Berrettini in Doha.
In Indian Wells, his first opponent was giant-slayer Botic van de Zandschulp, who has recorded notable victories in recent months, including a win over Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open. He also played a key role in ending Rafael Nadal’s career during a deciding doubles match at the Davis Cup Finals.
Armed with this experience, Van de Zandschulp wasn’t intimidated by Djokovic, despite their previous matchup resulting in a loss for him. He appeared to be in formidable form this time around.
This was evident early in their match, as Djokovic exhibited signs of rust by losing 13 consecutive points against the Dutch player, currently ranked 85th in the world.
After Djokovic won the first game, his opponent dominated by winning 21 of the next 24 points, which is quite remarkable against a player of Djokovic’s caliber. The Serbian dropped the first set 2-6.
However, Djokovic regrouped in the second set, raising his level of play and winning it 6-3, despite losing a two-break advantage late in the set, creating a moment of unease regarding the final result.
While it seemed that Djokovic had stabilized and was on his way to the third round, the third set revealed otherwise. He struggled to find his rhythm, while Van de Zandschulp capitalized on every opportunity. The Dutch player converted two out of three break points in the third set, which was sufficient for him to clinch the match.
Djokovic ultimately lost 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, marking his third consecutive defeat. This is the first time in seven years that he has lost three matches in a row, and the 37-year-old will be eager to rebound in Miami.
